What Does an Instagram Ad Look Like?
Ever scrolled through Instagram and stumbled upon a post that looked a little different? It has a “Sponsored” label under the username and a “Shop Now” button at the bottom. That’s an Instagram ad in its natural habitat, designed to blend in with your feed while still gently nudging you toward an action.
But these simple 'sponsored posts' are just one small piece of the puzzle. Instagram advertising offers a diverse range of formats and placements, each with its own look and feel. This guide will break down what Instagram ads actually look like, exploring all the different types and the key ingredients that make them effective.
The Anatomy of an Instagram Ad
Before we explore the distinct ad formats, it’s helpful to understand the basic building blocks that most Instagram ads share. While the creative content changes, a few elements are almost always present to signal that you're looking at an ad.
"Sponsored" Label: This is a non-negotiable requirement from Meta. Directly below the account's username, you'll see the word "Sponsored." This label is the clearest indicator that the polished video or beautiful product shot you're seeing is a paid placement.
Call-to-Action (CTA) Button: This clickable bar lives at the bottom of the ad, above the caption. It uses direct, action-oriented language to guide users. Common examples include "Shop Now," "Learn More," "Sign Up," "Download," "Book Now," or "Watch More." The goal is to make the next step obvious.
High-Quality Visuals: This is the heart of the ad. It can be a static image, a looping video, a series of images in a carousel, or a vertical video for Stories and Reels. In the visual-first world of Instagram, this creative element does all the heavy lifting to stop the scroll and grab attention.
Ad Caption: Just like a regular post, an ad has a text description. The style can vary from a short, punchy sentence to longer, more detailed storytelling. This copy works hand-in-hand with the visual to provide context, highlight benefits, and encourage users to click the CTA.
Profile Name and Picture: The ad is always tied to a business profile. The profile picture and clickable username appear at the top, allowing users to tap through to the brand’s profile if they want to learn more before taking another action.
A Closer Look at Instagram Ad Formats
Instagram doesn't offer a one-size-fits-all ad. The platform provides a variety of formats designed for different marketing goals and user experiences. Understanding what each one looks like — and what it’s for — is the first step to running successful campaigns.
1. Image Ads
This is the most straightforward ad format. An Image Ad is a single, static photo that appears in the main feed. It looks almost identical to a regular post, aside from the "Sponsored" label and the CTA button.
What they look like: A high-quality photo in either a square (1:1) or vertical (4:5) orientation. Think of a clean product shot, a vibrant lifestyle photo, or a graphic announcing a sale.
Best used for: Driving brand awareness, showcasing a single signature product, or announcing a promotion with a simple, powerful visual.
Example: A coffee brand might use a crisp, beautiful image of their best-selling roast next to a steaming mug, with a "Shop Now" CTA urging users to buy the beans.
2. Video Ads
Similar to Image Ads, Video Ads appear in the user’s feed but use motion to capture attention. Videos have autoplay enabled (usually muted), so the first few seconds are critical for stopping a user mid-scroll.
What they look like: A video (up to 60 seconds for in-feed ads) that plays automatically. These can be anything from cinematic brand stories and quick product demos to fast-paced animations.
Best used for: Telling a more complex story, demonstrating how a product works, or simply creating a more dynamic and engaging ad experience.
Example: A tech company could use a 15-second video ad to quickly showcase the key features of a new app, using on-screen text to explain the benefits even with the sound off. The CTA would be "Download."
3. Carousel Ads
Why use one image when you can use up to ten? Carousel Ads let users swipe left to see a series of images or videos within a single ad unit. You can spot them by the small dots beneath the visual, indicating more content is available.
What they look like: An in-feed ad with multiple slides. Each card in the carousel can have its own headline, description, link, and CTA.
Best used for:
Showcasing multiple products from a new collection. Crate & Barrel might use each card to feature a different piece of patio furniture.
Highlighting multiple features of a single product. Each card could explain a different benefit of a new blender.
Telling a sequential story or providing a step-by-step tutorial.
Example: A fashion brand might use the first card to show a model wearing a full outfit, then use subsequent cards to display close-ups of the shoes, bag, and jacket, with each being a 'shoppable' product.
4. Stories Ads
Stories Ads are full-screen, vertical ads that appear between users' organic Stories. They are designed to be immersive and integrate seamlessly into the fast-paced, ephemeral nature of the Stories format.
What they look like: A 9:16 vertical image or video (up to 60 seconds). A "Sponsored" tag appears at the top, and the CTA is a clickable sticker or a "Swipe Up for more" prompt at the bottom of the page, depending on the account. They often feel more casual and less-produced to match the native feel of Stories.
Best used for: Driving traffic directly to a website, promoting limited-time offers, and engaging users with interactive elements like polls and quizzes.
Example: An airline could use a quick, stunning video of a travel destination, with a “Book Flights" sticker that takes users directly to their booking site.
5. Reels Ads
As short-form video has exploded, so has its advertising potential. Reels Ads are full-screen vertical video ads that appear between organic Reels. The key here is entertainment — the best Reels ads feel more like popular content and less like a commercial.
What they look like: Looping vertical videos, complete with music or trending audio. Like Stories Ads, they display a “Sponsored” label near the brand’s name. They look identical to organic Reels and often borrow popular trends, sounds, and editing styles.
Best used for: Reaching new, younger audiences. The content is often educational, inspiring, or funny, with the product or service integrated naturally.
Example: A skincare brand could create a Reel demonstrating a "five-minute morning routine" using their products, set to a popular song. The ad feels helpful and trendy, not just promotional.
6. Collection Ads
This is an ideal format for e-commerce. A Collection Ad looks like an image or video ad with a small grid of products underneath it. When tapped, it opens up an "Instant Experience" — a full-screen, quick-loading mini storefront right within Instagram, where users can browse and buy multiple products without leaving the app.
What they look like: An ad with a primary "hero" creative (video or image) with four smaller product images below. When clicked, it expands into a searchable product catalog.
Best used for: Promoting a product line or collection and making it incredibly easy for users to go from discovery right into a shopping journey.
Example: A home decor brand could use a video of a beautifully styled living room as the main creative. Below, product images show the specific rug, lamp, and pillows featured in the video. Clicking the ad lets users browse and purchase those items immediately.
7. Explore Ads
Explore is Instagram's discovery engine. Users go there to find new accounts and content based on their interests. An Explore Ad appears here, but not on the main Explore grid. Instead, when someone taps on a photo or video from the grid, they might see ads as they start scrolling through similar content in that discovery feed.
What they look like: These look exactly like regular in-feed image, video, and Carousel ads. They are natively mixed in with the organic exploratory content.
Best used for: Reaching people who are actively seeking new things or products. They're in a discovery mindset, so they're more receptive to businesses they haven't heard of yet.
Example: A small artisanal hot sauce business might use Explore Ads to get into the "feed" for users who have recently searched for, liked, or saved content related to spices and recipes.
Best Practices: Creating Ads that Resemble Quality Content
Knowing the formats is only half the battle. The most successful Instagram ads are the ones that don’t scream “AD!” They feel native to the user experience and provide value through entertainment, education, or inspiration. Here are a few key principles to follow:
Lead with a Strong Hook: Whether it’s a video or image, you have less than three seconds to stop the scroll. Use motion, a surprising visual, or a bold promise to get attention immediately.
Design for Sound-Off: Most users scroll with their phone on silent. Use animated text, captions, or clear visual cues to tell your story without relying on audio.
Focus on Authenticity: Overly polished, corporate-style ads can stick out like a sore thumb. User-generated content (UGC), behind-the-scenes footage, and influencer-style creative often perform better because they feel like they belong on the platform.
Have One Clear, Specific CTA: Don't confuse your audience. Have one single, clear goal for your ad (e.g., “Get 20% Off,” “Learn How It Works,” “Join the Waitlist”) and make sure your visuals, copy, and CTA button all support it.
Final Thoughts
From a simple image in the feed to an interactive catalog in Stories, Instagram ads are far more varied than they might seem at first glance. Successful Instagram advertisers understand how to use every single format and craft ad creatives that feel perfectly tailored to these formats, turning what could be intrusive advertising into compelling content that your viewers actually enjoy.
As you run different ad formats for your campaigns, track what's actually making a profit. Connecting your data across ad platforms and sales platforms is crucial to see which kinds of ads are bringing in returns on your investments. You can take the guesswork out of this process by using Graphed. It allows you to have a dashboard to track things like which campaign formats are leading to the most sales on your own website.